Elastic composition floor



dwelling houses.

Reissued June 26, 1928.

UNITED STATES I Re. 17,010 I PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERIC 1']. BOELKOW AND FRIEDRICH WILHELM OTTO LISTING, OF MILWAUKEE,

WISCONSIN, ASSIGNORS TO DUBABLE FLOOR CORPORATION, OF MILWAUKEE, WIS- CONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

ELASTIC COMPOSITION FLOOR.

No Drawing. original No. 1,635,982, dated July 19, 1927, Serial No. 82,579, filed January 20, 1928.

Application for reissue flied September 28, 1927. Serial No. 222,683.

Our invention relates to an improvement in composition floor's, which possess the very desirable attributes of durability and permanence, and at the same time have the likewise desirable feature of elasticity, which latter contributes greatly to the comfort of persons whose work requires them to stand upon a floor for protracted periods of tune.

The composition floor embodied in our 111- vention is intended primarily for use in It is impervious to moisture and has been used advantageously in bath-rooms and kitchens, where frequent scrubbing is necessary as well as in the other rooms of the dwellin But its use is -not limited to houses use .for residential purposes alone, for its very durable qualities have given it favor in oflices, business houses and factories, where trallic is voluminous. It is entirely free from the objections attendant upon the use of floors of the strenolith type, in that it is not 'susce tible to wear and consequently does not pro uce dust. Moreover, in addition to being elastic to the tread, that same property preserves the composition floor from cracking and so becomlng unsightly.

The invention relates to a composition having certain ingredients suitable for the purposes of my invention, into which composition coloring matter is introduced and distributed referably by a peculiarly novel method, as ereinafter set forth.

The 1m roved composition floor may be readily laid in old buildings as well as new. In practicing the invention, we first prepare and lay a base, this being composed o'fcommercial wood flour or a mixture of wood flour with fine sawdust (25%), magnesite (25%), and gray silica which is mixed with a suitable quantity of magnesium chloride to produce a thoroughl coherent plastic mass, the plastic mass elng spread over the floor boards and pressed or rolled into a layer approximately ths of an inch in thickness. This base will be nailed to the flooring boards.

The surface layer is composed of the best grade of wood flour (25%),ma esite (45%), white silica (18%), and ake asbestos flat face with parallel ribs about one-half an inch wide and spaced the same distance apart, so as to thoroughly impact the plastic material into a closely adhering mass and express the surplus moisture therefrom. While we prefer 'the tam ing described, other pressure methods may e used.

Practice of the invention as above described, will produce a floor the surface of which is neutral in tint, but which is acceptable in certain places and is economical.

Variegated surface appearancein the floors of dwelling houses is often re uired, and to produce the desired effects, we introduce coloring matters into the composition forming the surface layer of the floor. This is efiect-' ed by dividing the mixed bulk which is to form the sur ace layer into a number of parts, either while its components are in a dry state or after they have been converted into a plastic state, and mixing with the selected divisional parts suitable coloring pigments, such as iron oxide, zinc oxide, carbon, canary yellow, Prussian blue, or other elements which will produce desired colors. Each sub-divided part, is thoroughly mixed so that the chosen color permeates the whole of the particular part, and produces a uniformly colored divisional mass. In breaking up the differently colored divisional parts, now in a plastic state, previous to the mixin of all of the parts so as to effect distributlon of the colors throughout the whole mass, we rub'such differently colored parts through a screen of suitable mesh, or pass them through a grinder, from which they emerge as separated particles.

The'several differently colored parts, each I now in the form of a cohcring but readily frangible mass, are mixed together so as to effect a good distribution of the separate colors throughout the whole, the colored fragments, however, remaining distinct with their separate entities preserved. The

plastic aggregate with the colors distributed therethrough, is now laid as a surface coat and treated in the manner hereinbefore described for laying the surface coat of a single color.

It is essential that care be exercised in the timing of the several operations, in order that the best results may be attained. The surface layer must be placed upon the base while the latter is damp, in order to bind roperly and secure an integral formation. I'he tamping action must be performed at the time that the surface layer has received a suitable set. After the tamping action has been completed, the surface layer will becovered with a cloudy film, which is removed by scraping just before the final set of the surface layer takes place. After scraping, the several colors will stand out distinctly and in such manner as'to give the surface of the floor a finished appearance which is highly pleasing. The finished sur= face may be rubbed with a thin coat of raw linseed oil. Aprons or wash-boards'may be formed as parts of the composition floors, and from the material constituting the latter, without separation at their joining lines. This feature of construction is particularly serviceable in bath-rooms and kitchens. The proportions hereinbefore stated are approximate. Borders of solid color are preferable andcont ribute greatly to the appearance of the improved composltion floor.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. An improved composition for floors formed as a mixture substantially in the pro portions stated of wood flour, magnesite, white silica, and flake asbestos, saturated with magnesium chloride, and adapted while plastic to be pressed into place.

2. An improved composition for floors, the constituents of which are as follows and substantially in the proportions stated, namely, wood flour 25%, magnesite white silica 18%, and flake asbestos.12%, saturated with magnesium chloride to bind the constituent elements together.

3. An improved composition floor, comprising a base layer formed as a plastic, in combination with a surface'layer, the latter being composed of wood.flour, magnesite,

white silica, and flake asbestos substantially in the proportions stated, saturated with magnesium chloride.

4. An improved composition floor comprising a homogeneous plastic layer pressed into place, and formed of wood flour, magnesite, white silica, flake asbestos and colorlng matter, saturated with magnesium chloride, and

presenting a variegated colored surface in which the separate entities of the fragments colored by the coloring matter are preserved. 5. A magnesite floor continuing wood flour and asbestos as an aggregate or filler, substantially in the proportions stated.

6. The method of making elastic composition floors, which comprises the formation of separate coloredplastic'mixtures of wood the colors with their separate entities preserved throughout the mass, spreading the vari-colored mass into a layer, and tamping the layer to impact it into place and express surplus moisture therefrom.

8. The method. of making elastic composition floors, which comprises the steps of mixing wood flour, magnesite, silica, and asbestos and saturating the mixture with magnesium chloride to produce a cohcring mass, dividing the mass and mixing coloring matter with the divided portions, breaking the latter into fragments and then mixing the fragments to distribute the colors with their separate entities preserved in .the mass,

spreading the vari-colored mass to form a layer, and tamping the'layer to impact it and express the surplus moisture therefrom.

9. The method of making elastic composition fiO01S,-Wl ilrh comprises the steps of mixing wood flour, magnesite, silica, and asbestos and saturating the mixture with magnesium chloride to produce a cohcring mass, dividing the mass and mixing coloring matter with the divided portions. breaking the latter into fragments by passing through a screen and then mixing the fragments to distribute the colors with their separate entities preserved in the mass. spreading the vari-color'ed mass to form a layer, and tamping the layer to impact it and express the surplus moisture therefrom.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names at Milwaukee.

FREDERIC E. BOELKOVV. FRIEDR. WILH. OTTO LISTING. 

